My heart pounds in my chest faster, as his hand pulls up my foot from the floor and gently slips it into my shoe.
I swallow back a sigh and hold onto his shoulder to keep myself steady. Neither of us speak, and I swear the only sounds I hear are the muted car horns on the street outside and the thrashing of my own pulse through my body. He sets my booted foot down and smoothly picks up the other. It’s an extremely intimate gesture, one I think I will hold with me forever, even though I know to Dex it’s nothing more than he means it to be.
“The sexiest thing a woman can wear is confidence, Janie.” His whispered words break through the quiet and I reach out my hand to help him up. When he straightens, he’s closer than before, his body almost flush with mine. “Do you feel confident?” he murmurs.
“Yes,” I breathe.
“Because you look fucking incredible.”
A long finger slips beneath my chin and lifts it slightly up. Our eyes lock and I suck in a sharp breath, feeling suddenly dizzy and terrified. “Are you ready to write the fuck out of this article?”
I don’t trust myself to speak, so I nod.
Dex steps back and claps, and rubs his hands together like nothing weird or sexually charged just happened between us.
I stare at the back of him as he walks toward my door.
Maybe nothing just happened; maybe I read too many romance books and watch too many rom-coms. Besides, I shake my head and laugh at how silly I am, Nate is the one I want. He’s the one that gave me the best kiss in my life.
I follow Dex out into the living room, and Julia’s expression is priceless. “Is that my shirt?”
I spin around like a runway model and strut back and forth in front of them. Dex laughs at me and rolls his eyes. “Okay, okay. They get it. Jane Nash can look mighty badass when she wants to.”
“You look amazing!” Julia squeals. “We should have a celebratory drink!”
“I have wine in the kitchen, I’ll go get it! Who wants a glass?” I ask. Everyone raises their hands and Julia walks over to Dex and starts talking quietly to him.
“I’ll give you a hand with the glasses,” Nate volunteers, and walks behind me into the kitchen.
I open the cabinet and see two different bottles. “What do you think, red or white?”
Before I could reach up for either bottle, Nate grabs my arm and whirls me around to face him, and pushes me up against the counter, caging me in with his arms. The sheer shock of him that close makes my body burst into flames.
“I don’t think this is a good idea. It doesn’t feel right. You shouldn’t go to that place tonight.”
“Nate? What? Why?” Tell me not to go because you’ve made a mistake. Tell me you don’t love her. Tell me—
“You’re not that kind of a girl, Jane. Come on, you’re going to get hurt. You’re sweet and innocent and kind, you shouldn’t dress like that. It’s just asking for something bad to happen.”
He just gave me a backhanded compliment and told me I’m asking for something bad to happen because I’m dressing in one of his girlfriend’s outfits?
“Nate, I’m sorry to let you know but,” I point to myself and smile, “none of this has anything to do with you.I’m not yours. And honestly, Nate, your opinions of me are not my problem, they’re yours.”
I reach up and choose the red wine, because right now it’s the only color I see.
Chapter 21
“Nate wanted him and Julia to come with us,” Dex murmurs, as he looks out the taxi’s window. Outside, the buildings move in a blur. I feel like we’re driving too fast, maybe we should pull over and take our time and walk there. Stop for ice cream on the way. Maybe a dirty waterdog.
I stay quiet for a moment, watching Dex’s profile as the world beyond the window behind him rushes past. “What did you say to him?” I finally ask.
His head turns slowly in my direction; the passing streetlights trail shadows over his features. “I told him no. This is for an article, it’s not for him, and it’s definitely not forthem.”
“What do you mean?”
The cab slows and my stomach flutters.
“It means, you can’t explore anything honestly where we’re going if you’re there performing for him, or her.”
